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Is it safe to sleep close to an electrical socket?

Former Community Member
Former Community Member
Been asked to move a power socket in a clients bedroom as the wife is concerned about the health effects of sleeping right next to the socket. To be honest I've not come across this before so it threw me a bit.


The socket is right behind the headboard (on the wife's side) and has a trailing extension lead plugged into it powering a clock, a table lamp and a phone charger. I think the previous owners must have had the house rewired at some point and used that room as a 'twin' and not a double as the sockets are in really odd places around the room.


She's concerned that there is an electromagnetic field right close to her head (about 5 or 6 inches away) for around 8 hours during the night and how that may affect her health.


Not that I'm going to talk her out of it ? but should I recommend a tin foil hat?
  • 0
    Farmboy:
    mapj1:

    ...the real problems are not the volts per metre gradient, but because of damage  or moisture creating an unwanted conductive path. - sockets placed where the drink on the bedside table gets knocked off, or on a surface that needs regular cleaning- we'd not put a floor type socket face up in a kitchen worktop, I hope...


    Far more importatn reasons for good socket positions are avoiding trip hazards and overly long cables




    Talking of socket position, this one was installed a few days ago. Is this a good position?
    63d1eb130091d98878f390c9f8173a63-original-1.jpg




    Handy for charging the car whilst washing it (although a double socket-outlet unlikely to be labelled "EV" on the back) ?


  • 0
    gkenyon:
    Farmboy:
    mapj1:

    ...the real problems are not the volts per metre gradient, but because of damage  or moisture creating an unwanted conductive path. - sockets placed where the drink on the bedside table gets knocked off, or on a surface that needs regular cleaning- we'd not put a floor type socket face up in a kitchen worktop, I hope...


    Far more importatn reasons for good socket positions are avoiding trip hazards and overly long cables




    Talking of socket position, this one was installed a few days ago. Is this a good position?
    63d1eb130091d98878f390c9f8173a63-original-1.jpg




    Handy for charging the car whilst washing it (although a double socket-outlet unlikely to be labelled "EV" on the back) ?







    Good point, as long as you don't break your neck tripping over pipes and cables as you go in and out of the door carrying things ? ?


  • 0
    Talking of socket position, this one was installed a few days ago. Is this a good position?

    63d1eb130091d98878f390c9f8173a63-original-1.jpg




    Actually I don't see much of a problem - most of those type of sockets are IP66 (IP55 at worst) so are claimed to provide adequate protection from water jets from any direction - either with or without a plug in place. OK it could be abused - e.g. the lid left open - but that would be an issue outdoors where ever it was located. Which regulation would anyone quote against it?

        - Andy.


  • 0
    There is scope for water to come upwards rather than downwards here, so the self draining flap etc while fine in a rainstorm is not going to work as intended here.


    Accessories should be suitable for the environmental conditions.


    Good workmanship etc.


    I think it isn't, discuss ?


    It is at least the kind you can close the flap with the plug in unless it is a phone charger, but in  my experience, folk do not always.



  • 0
    Farmboy:

    Talking of socket position, this one was installed a few days ago. Is this a good position?
    63d1eb130091d98878f390c9f8173a63-original-1.jpg






    According to the customer, the electrician advised them that ...the regulations have been updated and it’s now a recommended distance of 300mm.


    I'd like to know where this 300mm dimension has come from. I can see nothing in BS 7671, nor in the OSG or GN's. There's also nothing I can see in the building regulations (BR's) for my country (Scotland). Therefore, I wonder whether it's in the BR's of one or more of the other three home countries (perhaps it's in the electricians guide to the BR's, which is based on English BR's, and he's decided to apply it here) or he's referring to guidance recommending that sockets should be no closer than 300mm to a sink/basin, and just applied that to this scenario.


    F


  • 0
    There is scope for water to come upwards rather than downwards here, so the self draining flap etc while fine in a rainstorm is not going to work as intended here.

    But IPx6 and IPx5 account for water jets from any direction - so upward shouldn't be an issue.

    I'd like to know where this 300mm dimension has come from.

    I agree it's not from BS 7671. I have seen it in some guidance (originally in the Electrician's Guide to the Building Regulations, but likely copied elsewhere by now) that suggested 300mm between ordinary (IP20?) sockets and kitchen sinks/drainers. I don't quite see the relevance outside where it can rain (or can be pressure washed) equally anywhere regardless of distance from a tap.


        - Andy.
  • 0
    Farmboy:
    ..

    According to the customer, the electrician advised them that ...the regulations have been updated and it’s now a recommended distance of 300mm.

    ..


    F



    That is not 300mm from the bib cock outlet anyway.

    Looks to me that with the flap closed, the door glass will hit it when opened.


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